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It has been belatedly reported that Classmate, Margaret (Peggy) Woodward, passed away April 5, 2018. Peggy had an impressive career after graduating. Thanks to Sarah Humphreys Taylor for providing the information. A link to her obituary is included below
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/statesman/name/margaret-perry-obituary?id=10958907
Margaret PERRY Obituary
Margaret Woodward Perry - A Life of Music August 17, 1951 April 5, 2018 Margaret Perry's life was filled with music. A music educator for more than 40 years, Margaret was trained as a harpsichordist and performed in Baroque music groups around Texas. Following several years as pianist for the Houston Ballet, she taught music in the U.S. and Europe, while maintaining a private piano teaching practice in Austin for more than three decades. Margaret served as Director of Education for Austin Lyric Opera for 18 years, lecturing adult and youth audiences on the lives of composers and opera history. In 2000 Margaret became the founding director of the Armstrong Community Music School, the first music school in the world to be established by an opera company. Under her direction, ACMS became a separate non-profit in 2012 and moved to a beautiful two-acre site and renovated 9200 square foot building on Camp Craft Road in West Lake Hills. Margaret recruited a world-class faculty and staff committed to her mission of service and excellence. Each week over 2000 students are served at the school and through its community outreach programs. In October 2017 Margaret stepped down as ACMS director after learning of her diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, a disease she approached with grace, courage and dignity. Her wish to experience one last Central Texas spring came true before her death on April 5, 2018.
Margaret was born to Joseph Butler Woodward and Dolores Moran Woodward on August 17, 1951 in Corpus Christi, Texas. In 1980 Margaret met George Perry at the Austin Nature and Science Center, and they married in 1983 in Mayfield Park. Their shared love of nature and all its creatures remained a true bond between them throughout their 35-year marriage.
Margaret was proud to have maintained one of the original gardens at Mayfield Park for over three decades. During her career in Austin, Margaret served as a trustee for nine non-profit boards including Sharir Dance Company, Austin Classical Guitar and La Follia and was an advisor to KMFA, Creative Action Project and Chamber Music in Public Schools. She also served on the Board of Directors of the National Guild for Community Arts Education in New York City and the Physics Advisory Board at the University of Texas at Austin. In 2003 the City of Austin presented Margaret with a Community Service Award, and the State of Texas declared a day in her honor for thirty years of arts advocacy and education. In 2010 she received a "Profiles in Power: Women of Influence" award by the Austin Business Journal, and in 2012 she was inducted into the Austin Arts Hall of Fame. That same year she also received a national award for service to the community arts field from the National Guild for Community Arts Education. Margaret was preceded in death by her father and mother; her sister, Joanne Woodward Parsons; and her niece, Courtney Parsons Richardson. She is survived by her husband, George; her great niece and nephew, Mekenzie and Nickolas Richardson; and the Darling-Wolf family, Fabienne, John, Hana and Mei. Margaret had a rare beauty and elegance, as well as an unquenchable curiosity about the world. Those who knew and loved her will remember her laughter, her keen intelligence, her kindness and extreme generosity. Her family thanks Hospice Austin and Visiting Angels, especially Maria Hart, for their attentive and loving care. Additional thanks go to Dr. Rene Castillo and his staff at Texas Oncology South. A memorial concert in celebration of Margaret's life will be held on Friday, May 25th at St. Martin's Lutheran Church, 606 West 15th Street from 11:00am-1:00pm. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Armstrong Community Music School or the Margaret Perry Endowment Fund for ACMS at the Austin Community Foundation. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/statesman/name/margaret-perry-obituary?id=10958907
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